THIRTY-THREE ALL THEY HAD

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It was hard to believe how quickly things could go from bad to worse. They had been so optimistic as they pulled up to the runway, hopping out of the van like they had nothing to lose. They really didn't, now that Norman thought about it. If they succeeded, they were going to drop everything and run off to some foreign country to live in luxury as best they could as five sixteen-year-olds. They were going to do whatever it took to get there.

"What's the plan?" Kie asked as they ran up to the front, "Broad strokes."

"I don't think we got that far," John B muttered as Pope used the binoculars to get a better view. Norman's heart was beating a mile a minute as he stood alongside the fence beside John B.

The boy shrugged, "To be fair, when has a plan ever actually worked for us so far? I feel like we'd have more luck winging it anyway."

"They're loading up the gold," Pope observed, handing the binoculars over to John B so he could see as well.

They watched as a car pulled up, John B saying, "That's Ward."

John B slowly lowered the binoculars, a numbed, distant expression on his face. Curious as to what this meant, Kie asked, "What? What did you see?"

"It's Sarah," the boy mumbled, looking distraught.

"She's with him?" Pope asked.

After a moment, John B lifted the binoculars again, looking more distressed this time as he exclaimed, "Wait a minute. He's hurting her. They're fighting! Holy shit."

"Shit," Norman muttered as he grabbed the binoculars, "I wonder if he's trying to take her with him to keep her quiet. She knows about all of this, I bet she threatened to go to the police. Did you tell her about what he did to your dad?"

John B nodded as he pushed back from the fence in a hurry, hopping back in the van. Norman had half a mind to follow him -- so he did. Before John B could drive off, Norman ran to meet him at the drivers' side window.

"Where the hell are you going? You don't know how dangerous this is, John B," Norman exclaimed, nothing but worry drowning his features. The last thing he wanted was for his boyfriend to do something stupid, but that seemed to be one of the things John B was best at these days.

"I know that if it was me on that runway, you'd do the same for me, just like we would for anyone here. I know things with her have been rough, but I can't let her dad ship her off to Cuba just to shut her up," John B argued, his face worried and his words calculated.

Norman sighed, knowing he couldn't stop him. "At least let me come with you, dumbass."

"Not happening, Bates," the boy shook his head, "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I hate you," the boy admitted, but there was no malice behind it. There hadn't been for a long time. Norman wasn't sure when he stopped hating John B, but maybe the line between love and hate really was as thin as everyone said.

John B didn't hesitate in his response, a cheeky smile on his face, "I love you, too."

With a shaky breath, Norman stepped away from the van while the others seemed to catch on, trying to stop him the same way he had, but it was no use. They screamed at him as he revved the engine and crashed the van through the chainlink fence and onto the runway. God, he was an idiot. Norman was, unfortunately, in love with that idiot. Norman watched as the other three chased after the van, JJ screaming after him.

Norman let out a resigned sigh as they watched him go. He was beyond tempted to run after him, but he knew John B would kill him himself if he did that. With an aching heart, he watched as John B tested the limits of the old van to speed past the plane. He was pretty sure his heart stopped completely as they watched with fearful expressions as the boy pulled in front of the plane.

"He's dead, he's fucking dead," JJ exclaimed, all of them unable to peel their eyes away from the scene. Norman didn't even think there were enough words in the English language to describe how utterly terrified he was for John B right now. The boy had some stupid plans, yes, but this one by far had taken the cake.

"I can't breathe," Norman muttered as Kiara came up behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders as an act of comfort. She leaned on his shoulder and he could hear her nervous breathing in his ear. He lifted one hand to place on top of hers, gripping it affectionately as they watched in fear. Then, just as the nose was about to slam into John B's open window, the plane stopped. "I might have to start believing in God after this."

"Me too," Kie breathed a sigh of relief.

JJ nodded, "Me three."

"That boy is so fucking lucky," Pope mumbled in disbelief, his tone a mix between impressed and horrified. "Oh, he's an idiot. I think if we had awards for this friend group, he would get dumbest."

"If we survive this shit, he is never living this down," Norman seethed, but he wasn't as angry as he seemed. In reality, he was just relieved that the boy wasn't dead right now. However, if he survived this, Norman was going to murder him.

They watched as John B stepped out of the van and the Cameron's stepped down from the plane and Norman's heart kicked back into motion, beating a smile a minute as they watched the altercation. John B clung to Sarah, keeping her away from Ward as best he could. He had to admire John B -- Norman would never have the balls to do something like this. Maybe it was because he had more than five brain cells, but his point still stands.

Before anything could happen between Ward and John B, they heard something in the distance. A siren approaching. Someone had called the cops. Norman debated whether or not this was a good thing considering Ward's unimaginable privilege on this island. He could whisper as much bullshit as he wanted into the sheriff's ear and she would probably believe it.

The rest of the group heard it, too, Pope exclaiming, "Guys, I can't get arrested. Not after I threw away my scholarship like that, my dad will murder me if the cops don't."

"I'm on probation," JJ added, "We need to get the fuck out of here."

"Guys--" Norman began, but he knew it was no use.

Looking to Kie, the girl nodded, "We're no good if we're in jail, right?"

With one last look to John B and the other two, Pope pulled them along, saying, "Come on."

Norman stood still for a moment, not sure he could will himself to leave the boy behind. He knew it's what John B would want -- for him to stay out of harm's way, but he didn't know if he could run. He was a coward, maybe, but he loved John B.

Kie's voice pulled him out of his indecision, "Rocky, come on. We're no good here. We can't help him, especially with the cops on their way."

He nodded and followed the rest of them, fleeing the scene. Maybe he felt like a coward, but he could forgive himself for it as long as John B made it out okay. If the boy got hurt, Norman would never live with himself, but that wasn't in his hands anymore. There was nothing he hated more than not having control over something so hugely important, but he didn't have a choice. As they ran, he felt tears streaming down his face. He loved him. He loved him, he loved him, he loved him. And he was leaving him behind.

Things had gone from bad to worse and Norman had a feeling it was going to get a hell of a lot shitter from here. Maybe he was a fool for hoping, but at this point, it was all he had left. As he ran with the three of his friends around him -- fleeing with no knowledge of what was happening behind them -- that was all they had. Hope.

this is the shortest chapter of this book to date and I'm SORRY but I'm trying to stretch the last two episodes until chapter forty so bear with me and deal with it please and thank you